brian,
i really need
your bicycle now!
i will teach you
how to ride, i
promise!

alright,
take it...

let’s get
him, gloria!

UGANDA’S JUNIOR MOTOCROSS CHAMPS PG 6

brian, call
te police!

LOOK OUT FOR

AIMING HIGH
ISSUE 2

ONE ON ONE

MAN

WITH KENYA’S FUNNY MAN

IN PAPA SHIRAN
O
R
D
JO

ULA

TAKE PART IN THE BRAND KENYA
COMPETITION TO WIN AMAZING PRIZES PG 45

N

okay!

The Team
Editorial Board Chairman
Rino Solberg

Editorial Board

Mundia Muchiri
Wanja Gathu
Jean-Paul Deprins
Julie Solberg

Managing Editor
Wanja Gathu

Email: elizabeth@bingwa.org

Sales & Marketing
Winnie Anyona

Email: winnie@bingwa.org

Distribution & Promotions
Claudiah Gachimbi

Email: claudia@bingwa.org

Design and Layout

Centrepress Media Ltd
Email: info@centrepressmedia.com

Contributors
Christine Nderitu
Festus Mateso

Happy New Year friends!
It is my hope that you all have had a restful and most
exciting break, more so during Christmas and New year
celebrations, when I am sure some of you received lots of
gifts and of course shared some with your friends and the less
fortunate. We here at Bingwa have had an equally good time and
are excited to bring you the newest issue of Bingwa 2012, hot off the
press! This issue is slightly different however, because we have picked
three special themes, which, I challenge you to pick out as you read the
magazine and win a Bingwa hamper. Among the highlights herein is an
extraordinary celeb who, earns a living by making funny faces on TV,
a young motor cross duo from Uganda and race track champions
from the slopes of Mount Kenya, all of whom will inspire you to get
up and do something about that talent you have been sitting on. There
you have it! So read it through and through, enjoy, learn and share
because there is joy in sharing.
Have a new term full of discovery and excellence in everything
you do.
Editor

WHAT’S ON BINGWA ONLINE
You can now read selected copies of
bingwa magazine online. Visit www.
bingwa.org and click on the view
bingwa magazine online. To donate
bingwa to schools, click donate on the
top right section of the website. See
who’s responsible for the stories and
artwork you love so much in the behind
bingwa section.

Pupils at Hill School Eldoret, laugh at a joke (mchongoano) between the two boys
(standing). Notice the boy sitting in the corner engrossed in his Bingwa?
for making all worth while.
Special thanks go to the pupils
who took part in the quizzes and talent
shows and all you for being attentive
during our motivational talk. Last but
not least we thank all the teachers for

ensuring that everything went smoothly
for us, we wouldn’t have done it without
you.
Be on the lookout for Bingwa team
for more interactive and fun activities.

To order extra copies of the magazine or to subscribe call 0719 619006 / or email claudiah@bingwa.org: info@bingwa.org: Editor@
bingwa.org: For Uganda, email: jrlwande@gmail.com or call +25677006484. Follow BINGWA magazine on facebook to know more about
our upcoming events and activities. Do not forget to leave a comment.
Send us your articles and drawings and let us know about your events.

The magazine for the children of Africa

3

rs
e
t
et

l
r
u
yo

WE ARE PROUD TO BE BINGWA READERS

W

e love Bingwa magazine because of its funny, interesting
and inspiring stories. It has many pictures, drawings and
cartoons. The magazine is beautiful, coming in different
bright colors and the pages don’t tear easily.
We appreciate the fact that most of the stories relate to us
children and they make us laugh even in our dreams. Thank you
for remembering us . Our reading club teacher is planning for us to
acquire past issues no 1-4.
We attach a photo of our reading club members , very excited
to have Bingwa magazine. The club has more than 50 members
called talenter and our motto is, “in books we fly”
We promise to buy more Bingwa’s even as you supply more, to
build our home and school libraries in Luma Academy near Kakuma
refugee camp, Turkana.

star
letter

Yours,
Imbabazi James,
Luma Academy, Turkana

BINGWA MAKES ME LAUGH

THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE

I am a boy in class four. I like reading Bingwa because it
has fun stories and jokes. Bingwa teaches me a lot about
other people’s lives and also makes me answer some
difficult questions, which boost my mind. Your mchongoano
makes me laugh but mostly I love reading fun stories. May
you continue publishing bingwa and God bless you.

My teacher told me that Bingwa was coming to our school and
I was very happy. I love your many stories, jokes, drawings
and much more.
Thank you Bingwa

Ayub Otuke, 10
Moi Primary

WE APPRECIATE YOU
Dear Bingwa, It is with sincere hearts that we appreciate the
warm welcome that your staff extended us when we visited
Sumaria Industries. They took the time to arrange and make
sure that everything went well during that visit and we do not
take that for granted.
Silvia gitonga, Head teacher,
Yururu girls Boarding, Kanyakine

4

The magazine for the children of Africa

Martha Kemunto, 10
Moi Primary, Nakuru

I AM PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BINGWA
I have the privilege of reading Bingwa magazine and I love it.
I walked home with a very good feeling because of Bingwa. I
felt like I was many more steps ahead of others. It has such
interesting stories. I have learnt many facts about the world
and had to think very deeply to answer those challenging
questions.
Rachel Mumbi,
Chogoria Boarding Pry Sch

Your Drawings...
As the world continues to mourn, Professor Wangari Maathai, the children of
Kenya share in the grief. We asked them what lessons they learnt from the
Environmentalist and this is how they responded.

By Elijah Thiongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;o, 12, Chesternel School, Embu

By Sinclair Wamithi, 12, chesternel school, Embu

By James Muthee, 11, Chesternel School, Embu

By Francis Onyino,
Migosi Primary, Kisumu

By Saphire Gombe, St. Francis Mini Academy, Kisumu

By John Chomba 11, chesternel School, Embu

The magazine for the children of Africa

5

Cover Story

Paddy & Alistair with their dad, Arthur Blick

THE BLICK BROTHERS,

BLAZING A

TRAIL

ON UGANDA’S MOTOCROSS ARENA
Motocross is a motocycle sport or all terrain vehicle racing held on off road circuits. It evolved in
the United Kingdom from trials in 1906 and 1909, and was called scrambles but was later renamed
Motocross by combining the French motto with cross-country. Bingwa’s James Rawlings Lwande came
face to face with Uganda’s young trail blazing Motocross duo of 6 year old Paddy and Alistair Blick, 7.
These two talented brothers are pupils at Aga Khan Primary School in Kampala and have dominated
Uganda’s Motocross circuits for the last four years and, they don’t seem to be slowing down. They are
very determined to rule the world.
Bingwa: How long have you
been in Motocross?
Paddy: Three years
Alistair: 4 years
Bingwa: What have you
achieved so far in Motocross?
Paddy: I have won many

6

The magazine for the children of Africa

races but most importantly I’m
currently leading the MX50
Uganda National Motocross
Championship and I am 2nd
in the overall East African
standings.
Alistair: I won the 2007, 2008,
2009 & 2010 Uganda National

Motocross Championships.
I am also the youngest ever
Motocross champion in Uganda.
I bagged the record in 2007. I
also recently won the 2nd round
of the 2011 FIM Central African
Motocross Championship,
which was held in Garuga,

Kampala in October 2011.
Bingwa: What do you love
about Motocross?
Paddy: I love winning most and
whipping which is a stunt in
Motocross.
Alistair: I love the stunts in
Motocross. They just excite me.
Bingwa: How has Motocross
helped you?
Paddy: Motocross has taught
me discipline and has also
made me tougher.
Alistair: I hate losing but
Motocross has taught me

Alistair flies over the trees on his bike

how to take it easy when I
loose. The sport has also
taught to take responsibility
for my actions; discipline and
mechanics of how engines
operate. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m able to tell when
my bike engine is faulty. We
also get a lot of favors from our
friends and schoolmates, which
is really cool.
Bingwa: What is your most
memorable Motocross moment?
Paddy: When I won a race
after getting four stitches below
my chin on 24th July 2011 in
Busika, Kampala. It was painful
but I had to be tough and
compete.
Alistair: Winning the 2nd round
of the FIM Central African
Championship on home soil
was very memorable for
me, Kenyans have been
dominant but beating them
was very full filling.
Bingwa: Who do you admire in
Motocross?
Paddy: My Dad because he is
a fast rider and he is the one
who taught us how to ride.

Alistair: My Dad, Arthur Blick
who is the 9 time Uganda
National Motocross Champion.
He introduced us to the sport
and teaches us how to be
tactical. He also coaches us
well.
Bingwa: What are your other
interests and hobbies?
Paddy: School, Skating, Pets,
Swimming & riding bicycles.
Alistair: Riding bicycles,
Taekondo & Back flips.
Bingwa: What advice would
you give our readers?
Paddy: I advise all Bingwa
readers not to be naughty
and listen to their parents and
teachers.
Alistair: Winning is not
everything though I like it a lot,
you can also learn a lot from
losing. I encourage all Bingwa
readers to take up Motocross
and also concentrate on their
studies.

The magazine for the children of Africa

7

lipstick

Most
contains fish scales!

Camels have three
eyelids to protect
themselves from
blowing sand!

The Great Pyramids used
to be as white as snow because
they were encased in a bright
limestone that has worn off over
the years

Forest fires
move faster
uphill than
downhill!

A
COCKROACH
can live several
weeks with its head
cut off - it dies from
starvation!

Some

Octopuses

have been known
to eat their arms
off when they
are exposed
to stressful
situations

the longest
recorded
flight of a

chicken is 13

seconds!
The sentence â&#x20AC;&#x153;The

quick
brown fox jumps over a
lazy dog.â&#x20AC;? uses every letter
of the alphabet!

8

The magazine for the children of Africa

One of the most dangerous
insect in the world is the

Common Housefly.
They carry and transmit more
diseases than any other animal
in the world

Winning Entry

COMPETITION

LOST IN THE FOREST
Written By GAYLE KRYSTAL

W

e all went to school very early that morning. When we reached the school
compound, we were happy to see the bus we were to use for the tour. My
fellow Scouts and Girl Guides and I were going for a trip to the Aberdare

forest.
Before boarding the bus, we assembled at parade grounds for prayers. The head
teacher prayed for us and bid us goodbye. It was a very long journey and as soon as it
was evening, we travelled for about ten hours. We reached our destination late in the
evening. Since we were too tired to start a fire at our campsite, we ate snacks and
slept in the bus.
The next day was beautiful, the birds were singing melodiously in the trees. The
trees were swaying from side to side. The air was very welcoming. We were as eager
as a bridegroom to begin our activities. We pitched our tents and put our bags and
baggage in them.
We had packed a lot of food but we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have firewood and water. We all had
to scatter up to look for those things. We took snacks in the morning and set the ball
rolling. My friend Stephanie and I were sent to the river to get water. Although we
didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where the river was, we used the direction our Scout Matron had given
us and for sure we found it.
Stephanie and I fetched as much water as we could and headed back. After a
distance of ten miles, we realized that we could not retrace our steps. To add to the
trouble, we did not have any form of communication. My heart palpitated anxiously,
threatening to come out of my ribcage. It was our first time to get lost so my friend
and I decided to scream; help! Help! Help! We shouted at the top of our voices.
After endless attempts to call for help, we decided to throw in the towel. We
resolved to sit down on a log and rest. We were as hungry as hunters for the last meal
we had was at breakfast. We were so scared we thought we were going to die at any
moment.
It was getting dark and creepy. We decided to pray for whoever ceases to pray
ceases to prosper. Soon there was pitch darkness. After some time, we heard the
patapata of feet and the roar of the engine of a vehicle. God answered by sending
our fellow scouts.
We in turn shouted for them to hear us and in the blink of an eye they reached
us. We were glad to be safe again. Having drunk all the water in our containers
because we were hungry, we carried the empty bottles back to the campsite. We
arrived safe and sound. We were given lots of food to eat before we went to bed.
We enjoyed the remaining period of the camp in the forest but out of those many
days of our adventure, I will never forget that particular day when we got lost. The
events of that day will remain glued to my misty mind as long as I live. Indeed, it was
a day to recall.
Gayle 11 is class 5 pupil at
KISUMU PENTECOSTAL CHURCH ACADEMY
This competition appeared in issue 1 of Aiming High a mini magazine published by
Sumaria industries manufacturers of Aim ball point in partnership with Bingwa. Issue 2 of
the magazine will be coming to your school this term. Be on the look out.
The magazine for the children of Africa

9

E
L
I
D
O
C
O
R
C
NILE
lotica)
i
n
s
u
l
i
d
(Croco

Did You Know that Crocodiles keep in check the population of barbel catfish. Barbels eat other
fishes which are diet to over 40 species of birds. If birds leave an area because there is no
edible fish, then the amount of bird droppings which provide nutrients for the fish declines thus
disrupting the food.
By Paul Mbugua
(Kenya Wildlife Service)
They have a long snout, an
elongated body and a powerful
tail and are adapted for life in
water. Their bodies are covered
with large bony plates giving
it an armored look. Their eyes
are located high on their head
to enable them see while the
rest of their bodies are in water.
Their nostrils are located on the
raised part of their head allow
them to breathe while the mouth
is open under water. Crocodiles
have webbed feet but this is not

10

The magazine for the children of Africa

the basis of their locomotion.
They swim by serpentine
movements of strokes from their
powerful laterally flattened tails.
Male of the species grow larger
than females attaining lengths
of up to 16ft or more ( Longest
recorded was 20ft )
Crocodiles have no tongue
and do not chew their food.
To cut off meat from a
carcass, a crocodile spins
at high speed with its jaws
locked on the carcass until
a chunk is cut off. This it
swallows whole.

Their teeth are designed for
holding and not for chewing.
Crocodiles are poikilothermic
(cold blooded). Male crocodiles
are territorial and will chase
away other males from their
sections of the shores. They
share their territories with
younger males and with the
females
ATTRIBUTES
Nile crocodile have a reputation
as vicious man eaters. Its diet
is indiscriminate as it feeds on
virtually any meat including that
of other crocodiles. It is thus

one of the few predators known
to hunt man for food however
as a general rule crocodiles will
avoid man.
HABITAT
It is a fresh water animal and
is found in rivers, marshes
and mangrove swamps. Some
species are found in brackish
and sea water near estuaries.
Those living in estuaries swim
out to sea and this explains
why some islands such
as Madagascar have Nile
crocodiles.
DIET
Crocs will attack anything
that crosses its path including
antelopes, small hippos,
porcupines, birds, pythons,
domestic animals, fellow crocs
and even humans!. They drown
their prey. Diet varies with age.
Juveniles eat spiders, worms,
frogs, snakes, lizards and small

vertebrates. Adult crocodiles
prefer larger prey to conserve
energy spent on hunting for
food. In rapidly flowing water, it
opens its mouth to trap fish and
quickly snaps the mouth shut
whenever a fish enters. Fish is
swallowed whole and the mouth
is opened again to repeat the
process.
BREEDING
Crocodile start breeding when
they are 5=10 years old. By this
time they are 7-10 feet long.
Females lay up to 90 eggs
which hatch four months later.
During incubation, the females
stay closer to the nest to defend
it from intruders. On hatching
the baby crocodiles follow their
mother like ducklings.
ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION
Nile crocodiles suffer from
pollution, hunting and
entanglement in gill nets. The

crocodiles also eat up dead
animals that would otherwise
pollute water.
THREATS
People kill Crocodiles for skins
and meat (white meat) is eaten
by some communities and
is a delicacy of some urban
restaurants.

Facts
Type: Reptile
Diet: Carnivore
Lifespan: 70years in
captivity, 45years in the wild
Size: 16ft (5m)
Weight: 225kg
Farming: Crocs are farmed
and are a source of white
meat.
The magazine for the children of Africa

11

Celebrity Profile

KENNETH GICHOYA
aka Njoro In Papa Shirandula

By Euginia Gathoni

C

omedy lovers call him
Njoro. He stars as the
hilarious but not so smart
guy in the award winning show,
Papa Shirandula which airs on
local TV but what most people
don’t know is that his real name
is Kenneth Gichoya, a strikingly
tall and handsome young
man, who dreamt of becoming
Kenya’s Denzel Washington
someday.

Kenneth on the red carpet at the Kalasha award where he won best male actor (comedy)

12

The magazine for the children of Africa

He’s so passionate about
acting for a Kenyan audience
that when in 2008, he won
a green card to go to the
States, he turned it down!

At only 32, he has bagged
many awards for his rib cracking
comedy shows - He walked
away with the Best Performance
and Comedy award at the
2010 Kalasha awards among
other awards and has become
a most sought after comedian
and a household name to many
Kenyans.
He grew up in various places
all over Nairobi because his
dad was a banker and was
always moving. He joined the
drama group in his church when
he was just in class four but
it wasn’t until he joined High
school that he got his big break.
While in Form 2, he got an
award for best actor at District
level. He had raised his bar high
and there was no turning back,
he wanted to achieve greater
things as an actor and in 1999
when he was in his final year in
Baricho High School, he bagged
another coveted award, only
this time at Provisional level.
Upon finishing High School,
he met Mr. Noreaga Bingi, then
Director of Visions Theatre
Academy, who directed him to
Kenya National Theatre and
from then on, his acting career
took off to greater heights. He
would act in public shows for
300Kshs per show and that was
a lot of money back then.
He has attended drama
school and is a Certified actor.
(There are few career actors
in Kenya and Njoro is one of
them). He starred in Crazy
Kenyans and Intrukalass; both
of which were famous shows
back in the 90’s.
HOW HE BECAME ‘NJORO’
Kenneth met Charles (Papa
Shirandula) and a friendship
developed so that they would
act together in many public
shows and explore ways how to

develop their
acting skills.
When
Bukeko was
picked to
star in his
show, he did
not hesitate
to recommend
his longtime
friend, Kenneth
Gichoya, a
natural at cracking
people up! He
got the part almost
effortlessly and later
coined the name ‘Njoro’ as
his stage name. Since then,
his fame shot up and everyone
wanted to book him for shows
and performances.
As a kid, he always looked
up to Denzel Washington and
vowed to be just as famous,
to make his country proud.
He’s so passionate about acting
for a Kenyan audience that
when in 2008, he won a green
card to go to the States, he
turned it down!
Apart from acting, he has
featured in various adverts like
the Safaricom, Sigenta and
the most popular one, Golden
Shine. He is also emcee at
various weddings and other
events.
WORDS OF WISDOM
☺☺ If there is something you
love doing and are good
at, don’t be afraid to tell
your parents or guardian
about it because they can
help you to nurture that
talent
☺☺ Remember, education is
very important so take
your studies seriously.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT
NJORO
☺☺ He loves listening to local
music
☺☺ Travelling especially to far
away places,
☺☺ Watching action movies
☺☺ He loves nature and once
in a while takes time out
to marvel at its beauty
☺☺ His favorite dish is
chicken; he cannot do
without it.
☺☺ Kenneth is married with
two children
☺☺ His wife and kids help
him memorize his lines
whenever he has a show
☺☺ His burning ambition is
to set up a Production
House and create
employment
☺☺ He loves to mentor young
actors/actresses so they
can earn money in the
business

The magazine for the children of Africa

13

Fiction

THE MAGICAL LAND OF YENKA

By Christine Nderitu

O

nce upon a time in the
magical land of Yenka
there lived a wise king
named King Garuna. The
land of Yenka was filled with
awesome mountains; beautiful
rivers, lakes and oceans;
healthy plant and animals;
Yenka was also blessed with
the most beautiful people in the
world. The Yenkas’ (people from
Yenka) were a very peaceful
people; in fact they had not
had any wars for generations
because their past leaders were
also very wise and diplomatic.
However these leaders left
nothing to chance: they
periodically recruited strong
and intelligent Yenkas to form
a strong warrior force that was

14

The magazine for the children of Africa

well trained and disciplined.
Life went on smoothly in
the land of Yenka: farms and
animals were tended to; the
women sung as they worked;
the men sharpened their tools
and worked hard the children
learned and played their games;
the moon and sun rose and set
as expected and the seasons
changed as expected. One day
as the Yenkas were going about
their daily chores peacefully,
bandits from a hostile land
neighbouring Yenka had
crossed the Yenka boarder to
raid and plunder this beautiful
land! On hearing this, King
Garuna summoned the head
warrior who swiftly rounded up
his troops to go and protect their
boarder.
When the head warrior

returned, he came bearing
some really bad news; the
Bandit king had declared war on
the Yenkas!
“Is that so!” said king
Garuna, “Well then, summon
the council of elders and high
priest immediately to discuss
this matter urgently.”
The meeting lasted a few
hours and as soon as it ended
each of the leaders knew
exactly what was expected of
them. They went off to organise
their people so as to protect
their magical land of Yenka. The
head warrior told the warriors
what was expected of them;
the council of elders informed
the Yenkas’ in their respective
villages of the impending war
and what was expected of
them; the high priest arrived at

Fiction

The princess begs the king not to go
the monastery and briefed the
monks, priest, priestesses and
clergy men of the war and what
was expected of them. Drums
were beaten; horns were blown;
smoke signals were sent and

in no time all the Yenkas knew
that the Bandit king declared
war and more importantly, they
knew how they would overcome
the problem of bandits trying to
disturb their peace.

THE KING GOES TO WAR
King Garuna was preparing
for the war since he was the
supreme warrior: he summoned
his head horseman who brought
him his strongest horses; he
summoned his arsenal keeper
who brought him his finest
weapons; he summoned his
head tailor who brought who
brought him his most fierce
uniform. When he was fully
prepared he summoned his
family and together they
went to the Holy Palace to
make offering and pray for a
favourable outcome. When
they finished, King Garuna was
ready to go defend his land. As
he mounted his favourite house
his youngest daughter; princess
Malaika, came rushing to him
with tears in her eyes!
“Father I beg you, please
don’t go! Don’t leave us!” she
cried, “I’m so afraid!”
“Malaika, there is no need to

farmer and the land of Yenka
is like my farm: when weeds
grow on the farm, I pluck them
out; when pests and parasites
come to attack my plants and
animals, I destroy them; I
fence around the farm to keep
unwanted bandits off my farm;
if my neighbour disregards the
perimeter fence surrounding
the farm; then he gets punished
accordingly; if I do not tend to
the farm them the plants and
animals will perish and it will be
disastrous! So you see Malaika,
you must let this farmer go and
punish the bandit disrespecting
the fence around our farm, do
you understand?”
“Yes, papa” said the
princess, “may God be with
you.”
And as the king rode away a
couple of white butterflies flew
happily past her and she knew
that this was a good omen.
Days past and finally King
Garuna returned with his
warriors and they had captured
the Bandit king who was then
punished accordingly bringing
peace to the people of Yenka.
Many years passed and the
magical land of Yenka remained
a place of great serenity and
beauty because it had very
wise leaders and the Yenka
people remained loyal to their
motherland.

be afraid of a bunch of bandits
for they know no peace and just
brew chaos for everybody!” Said
King Garuna, “child of mine
I’m off to arrest the Bandit King
and then peace will return to
our magical land of Yenka, and
when I return I shall bring you a
gift!”
The princess loved gifts and
she felt a bit reassured by her
father’s word but she was not
fully convinced.
“Father, why do you have to
go arrest the Bandit king?”
Princess Malaika
How far that little
asked, “Why not
just give him what
candle throws its beams
he wants, then you
so shines a good deed in
don’t have to go!”
a naughty world
“Because my child,
this is our mother land
and it our duty to defend it;
it’s especially my duty to defend
it fiercely” said King Garuna,
“you see Malaika, I am like a

The magazine for the children of Africa

15

yaaaawwn!!

your uniform
is crumbled. i
will press it
for you.

mum, could
you please
kiss me
goodnight?
whoa!
janet! you
could swallow
a camel! go
to bed.

mmmwah!
goodnight,
janet.

wake up,
janet! you
will be late
for work!

work?

your driver is
already waiting
for you outside.
and i pressed
your uniform.

good day,
janet! have a
safe flight!

flight?

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not
my school
uniform!

madam?

driver?

16

The magazine for the children of Africa

good morning,
madam. you
look very
pretty!

welcome, madam.
the tourists are already in the plane,
waiting for you. today, you will fly
them over the game reserve so they
can see the wild animals. have a safe
flight!

alright! let’s do this!
ladies and gentlemen,
fasten your seatbelts. we
are about to take off!

oh!

if you look
down now, you will
see some hippos
playing in muddy
water...

and those are
wildebeest. did
you know they
are also called
the gnu?

oh, look!
there is a pink
one! those are
rare!

janet!
janet!

janet!

is there a
problem? who
called me? you
really sound like
my mum...

wake up!
your alarm went
off twenty
minutes ago!

it was
just a
dream...

look,
i already
pressed your
school uniform!

that’s my school
uniform. i’m not
dreaming again!

the end

The Magazine for the children of Africa

17

WHO IS A GOOD LEADER?
Wise men and women said long ago that, “a tree is shaped when young”. They understood that once grown, a crooked tree could never
be straightened. Likewise, a young child is easier to mold than a grown person. We at Bingwa understand this very well and this is why we
strive to teach good values that we hope will help raise up a generation of well-rounded individuals. We have picked three values to run
with through the year. One of which is leadership. Others are patriotism and Cohesion.
We asked children from Mbagathi Road Primary to tell us what makes a good leader.
This is what they had to say.

“A good leader is someone who is kind and
honest like Jesus Christ. People used to call
him a good leader because he loved people and
taught good things and he served people”
Annet Simiyu, Class 5

“A good leader is someone who loves
others, is kind and well behaved”
Dennis Chogo, Class 3

“A good leader should show
kindness and be loyal to people.
Serve others and be obedient like
Jesus showed by example to his
disciples”
Benta Awino, Class 6

“A good leader is one who is
kind, humble and ready to
suffer for other people’s wrongs
and also one who shows good
behavior so that those he leads
can follow his example and be
better people”
Nyakiir Tbrahiny, Class 5

“A good leader should always be
honest, kind and humble. A good
leader should set an example for
others to follow and should always
be ready to serve others”
Awak Ibrahim, Class 4
“A good leader is judged by
how he/she behaves and how
he feels about those he leads.
He shows honesty and kindness
to all”
Magdaline Mochama, class 6

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The magazine for the children of Africa

“A good leader shows the right
way and is kind to his or her
people”
Maureen Adhiambo, Class 7

“A good leader should be
honest, humble, kind and should
also help other people in need.
A good leader should also be
respectful”
Sara Mochama, Class 4.

The magazine for the children of Africa

19

ADVENTURE

Do you enjoy watching fast paced sport like motor racing even
on TV? You could be part of the action right here in the City of
Nairobi read on to find out where.

By Jeff Mundia

E

ver wondered how
it feels like to be a
racecar driver? Wearing
a cool helmet and racing suit,
driving a lean mean speed
machine? Well you need not
wonder any more…you can be
a racer for a day!
I first heard about gokarting on the sports news. I
watched as people my age,
and even younger, raced
around a custom made track
in little vehicles called gokarts. A go-kart is basically
an open top vehicle with four
wheels that can reach speeds
of up to 40km/hr. It has no
suspension, thus is very
close to the ground. Anyone
between the ages of 7- 50 can
drive a go-kart.
When my cousins came
from abroad, I knew there
was only one place to go to
get unforgettable memories. I
pitched the idea of go-karting
and everyone loved it. We set
a date and waited excitedly for
the weekend to arrive.
That Saturday, I woke up

20

The magazine for the children of Africa

excitedly and couldn’t wait
for the events of the day. The
night before, I had dreamt
that I was a famous racecar
driver lifting up a trophy in
front of thousands of adoring
fans. If all went well, I would
be doing the same in real
life! I met up with my cousins
around midday and we made
our way to a place called
GP-Karting along Langata
Road in Nairobi. When we
got there, we were greeted
by the sounds of go-karts
racing around the track at
high speeds. We could barely
catch a good glimpse of
them…they were moving so
fast! After paying the driving
fees, we received our very
own racing helmets and suits.
As we changed into the new
attire, we joked about who was
going to be the fastest driver.
It seemed we were all very
confident in our abilities, no
one would admit defeat!
We assembled beside the
track where we were given
basic go-kart driving pointers.
There are only two pedals:
the accelerator and the

brakes. We also learnt about
the different flags and their
meanings. After the instructors
were confident we knew the
basics, they ushered each of
us into our karts. I got into my
kart, and immediately made
myself comfortable. I grabbed
the steering and revved the
engine; I was one with the kart!
After we were all in our seats,
the track was cleared. We
waited patiently as the lights
changed from red, to orange
and finally to green. Off we
went!
I found myself falling to
last place. My cousins had
zoomed off in front of me as I
desperately tried to catch up.
As the first corner drew nearer,
I had made up some ground.
My younger cousin turned
too wide, giving me space to
maneuver in front of her. One
down! The road straightened

With
exhilarating
last corner, I
speed, I charged down
had her firmly
the rest. As we neared the end
in my sights.
of the first lap, I had managed to
I tried to
get just behind my other cousin.
Feeling my presence right behind
overtake
him, he panicked and yanked
her, but
on the steering wheel. As a
she closed
result, he crashed into the
me in! I
protective tires!

up, allowing me
to floor the
accelerator
pedal. With
exhilarating
speed, I
charged down
the rest. As we
neared the end
of the first lap, I had
managed to get just behind
my other cousin. Feeling my
presence right behind him, he
panicked and yanked on the
steering wheel. As a result,
he crashed into the protective
tires! I zoomed past him and
hoped he was fine. Feeling
confident I could win the race,
I set out to overtake my third
and final cousin. With the
checkered flag beckoning,
I was running out of time. I
had to catch up and make my
move, or risk being branded a
loser. As we drew towards the

couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe
it, the only
chance I had was taken
away from me. I finished in
second place. Afterwards,
we gathered beside the
track and talked about the
exhilarating experience. My
cousin who had crashed was
fine, though he ended up
finishing in last place. As we
left the place, we were still
talking about our awesome
experience. Adrenaline was
rushing through our blood as
we imagined ourselves back
inside the go-karts. We could
not wait to be back!

Joyce and Sharon pose after a spin
round the race track

The magazine for the children of Africa

21

Hill school primary pupils crowd around bingwaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Claudiah
Gachimbi(holding bingwa magazine) they were excited to receive the
copies for their library.

pe were a major
ondi and his trou
Om
k
ic
Er
n,
ia
Comed
Kids fest.
attraction at the

These young girls from Eton Pry Mombasa show cased their
singing talent during the joint Bingwa and Aim activations at their
school.
Pupils from Imar
a Pry. Show thei
r newly acquired
Aim booklets.

CAM founder Julie Solberg & Rino Solberg (Chairman), centre-with
driver, Albert (left) and NavigatorJoe right at the FMU stadium,
Kampala where the Xplode rally was held. Child Africa and Xplode
rallying came together to raise awareness on the plight of the African
child in November.

Young motocross
riders give Bingwa
the thumbs up af
copies of the mag
ter receiving
azine at the Xplo
de car rally in U
ganda.

hirt and
their branded ts
t
un
fla
to
y
pp
The boys were ha
the Kids fest.
painted faces at

There was fun and games at the Kids Fest as demonstrated by
these boys and girls.
Rino Solberg (Chairman-Child Africa) greets the Buganda
kingdom minister who was the Chief guest.

A mother and son enjoy the show at the laugh industry, kids
fest at the Safari Park Hotel.

These beautiful girls were captured outside
the Bingwa tent during the Kids festival on
Dec 3rd, Safari park hotel ground.

A boy engrossed
in his Bingwa.
The magazine
for the children
of Africa
More photos
inside
back
cover
23

Brain Teasers
Where do fish keep their money?
In a riverbank of course
What bone has a sense of humour?
The humorous bone
What did the ribcage say to the heart?
Got you covered
I fasten it and it walks. I unfasten it and
it stops. What is it?
A sandal
It stands on one leg with its heart in its
head. What is it?
A cabbage
What fastens two people yet touches
only one?
A wedding ring
I am around long before dawn, but by
lunch I am usually gone. You can see me
summer, fall and spring. I like to get on
everything. But when winter winds start
to blow. Burrr, then its time for me to go!
What am I?
The dew
What flies without wings?
Time

On the slopes of Ngong hills is a small settlement known as Mathare where all the waste from
Ngong town and beyond is dumped. But rather than let themselves and their homes be buried in
garbage, the people here are turning the trash into treasure.
By Kabeeria M’mbogori

D

o you ever wonder
where the garbage in
your home go once the
garbage truck picks it? Do you
know who takes it or where
it ends up? When something
stops being useful to you, is it
useless to everyone else?
An extraordinary community
living in Ngong town’s Mathare
settlement, 25Km outside
Nairobi know
exactly where
waste from
your home
and the entire
town goes
and they are
turning the
trash that
is literally
dumped
outside their
door step into
treasure.

28

The Magazine
magazine for the children of Africa

They have organized
themselves into self-help groups
to manage the mountains of
garbage surrounding their
dwellings. It is here that I learn
that everyone has a story; a
unique story of survival. Many
here have struggled with crime,
physical and drug abuse and
rejection but now they have
found care and an ingenious
way of making a living.
I speak to Anthony

a young man who collects
discarded miraa (khat) leaves
dumped here, cleans and
packages them for resale. He
completely changes the way
I look at waste. In truth what
is one’s trash is another’s
treasure.
Antony is one among a
determined group of people
who work really hard to sort out
garbage, separating plastic from
glass bottles, cans and scrap
metal pieces for resale. The
rest they use as compost or
food for pigs.
Don’t forget, their work
is very dangerous because
even sharp needles,
contaminated blood and
other hazardous medical
waste is brought here
and so a mistake could
mean the difference
between a fatal
injury or death and
recovering a resource.

It is because of this that no
children are allowed to off load
or sort the garbage.
Every day, close to ten trucks
come to dump their waste here
(usually 2-3 tonnes) per trip!
Imagine the amount of waste
they dump in just one week!
Mountains of garbage! But this
community has been able to
make a livelihood out of waste
without any outside help.
How they do it?
1. The handlers charge a
small fee for every truck to

off load. They then cover
waste with soil to prevent
accidental injury when
stepping over it.
2. They then sort it slowly to
ensure any sharp instrument
like bulbs, glass or needles
are removed. (They have no
protective clothing) and put
useful material in neat piles.
3. Useful plastics, pig food,
glass, manure, and scrap
metal are all removed from
garbage to be sold and
reused. Whatever is not
useful is burnt.

Do not hope for a
better tomorrow.
Make the world a
better place today.

Things to ponder
i. Nairobi as a whole is
estimated to produce over
1530 tonnes of waste
every day! Excluding
the burnt fuel and aerial
pollutants.
ii. Composting is a method
of aiding the natural
decay process to cycle
nutrients in natural
products. Putting peels,
cuttings, left over food, in
warm moist heaps, allows
them to breakdown into
the basic elements the
soil needs to help plants
grow.
iii. This is good habitat for
those fat earthworms that
chickens love to munch.

3 THINGS YOU AND I CAN DO
TO REDUCE WASTE
A. Choosing to buy products that are environment friendly and
easy to reuse is a good place to start.
B. Once you have used a product beyond its renewal dispose
carefully. Sorting plastics, glass and metals has a big
advantage in reducing the clutter and mess of garbage.
C. Dig or ask an adult to dig shallow pit at home in which to put
leftover peels and other organic waste. By turning this over
frequently, you make very rich manure for use in your family’s
vegetable garden or flowerbeds!

There’s more…
Write to us and tell us what
you are doing to reduce
waste so that we can all
share and learn new ways to
reduce the trash and increase
treasure.
Above all, choose wisely
when shopping and dispose
of what you don’t need
properly. Whatever you do,
use, reuse and recycle!

he story
is set in a
far away
land where a
very beautiful girl, Kulabako
refused all suitors yet because
of her beauty, every man
wanted to marry her. Soon, the
Kabaka learns of this beauty
and immediately falls in love
with the girl he had never seen.
The Kabaka sends his faithful
servants one after the other to
go and tell Kulabako’s family

about his wish to
marry her but each
one brings back bad
news and is fired until
all ten leave the king’s service.
The king is left in a dilemma.
He has no one to send – he
cannot not sleep, rest or think
of any thing but Kulabako
and thus withdraws from the
public. When Kakookolo the
country bum hears of the king’s
fate, he rushes to the king to
seek his permission to go on

this important mission but the
king’s guard chase him away.
However, with persistence he
gets the Kabaka’s consent
and sets off for Kulabako’s
home where after eating a
hearty meal, Kakookolo, a very
cunning man, tricks Kulabako
into running after him all the
way to the kings palace trying
to hand him his entongoli,
a musical instrument he
intentionally left behind. That’s
how the king gets his bride.

The magic world of numbers
You are wrong if you think mathematics is not fun

LEVEL ONE:

Soduku

LEVEL TWO

Place the numbers 1-6 in each of the blank
cells. Ensure that each straight line has
numbers 1-6 both across and down. And that
every box has numbers 1-6.

Place the numbers 1-4 in each of the blank
cells. Ensure that each straight line has
numbers 1-4 both across and down. And that
every box has numbers 1-4.
6
on Page 4
Answers

Celeb Calculations
How long would
Ugandan rally
champion Charlie
Lubega take to
finish a 360 km
stretch if he is
driving at 25m/s?

Kenyan international footballer
MacDonald Mariga gets paid
in pounds. If he earns 1.3
million pounds in a year and
the current exchange rate for
the pound is 150 shillings, how
much does he earn in a year in
shillings?

Answers on Page 46

Humour
Dad, can you help me find the lowest common
denominator in this problem please ?
Don’t tell me that they haven’t
found it yet, I remember looking
for it when I was a boy

Teacher: Did your parents help you with
homework?
Pupil: No I got them all wrong by myself !
Pupil: I can’t solve this problem.
Teacher: Any five year old
should be able to solve this
one.
Pupil: No wonder I can’t do
it then, I’m nearly ten !

The magazine for the children of Africa

31

Sports

Young Athletes
Excel against all odds

The Standard Chartered Marathon went down last October at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Thousands of amateur and professional runners, mothers and children turned out to raise money
towards the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;seeing is believingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; campaign, inspite of chilly weather. BINGWA was there to record
the event and this is where we met 14 year old Daniel Ekaderi and age mate Simon Ndungi,
Francis Kimando.
By Bingwa writer

W

hat makes these boys
unique is the fact that
they live in a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
home in Nyeri but have competed in and won races consistently in the Standard Chartered
marathon, the Ndakaini half
marathon and other races since
2008.
They are also part of an
awesome pack of seven - 3 girls
and 4 boys who have taken tro-

A GOOD RACE:
(Right-Left)
Simon Ndungi,
Daniel Gicheru
and Francis
Kimando at the
finish line.

32

The magazine for the children of Africa

phies from Nairobi to Ndakaini,
Meru and Thika X country and
even in interschool marathons.
This they do against all the odds
that orphaned and disadvantaged children growing up in a
home face daily.
To find how they do it, we
spoke to Coach Titus Ndegwa,
himself an athlete, who spoke
with pride about discovering
and nurturing young talent amid
great challenges.

Bingwa: How did you discover that these children the immense talent they displayed
at the marathon?
Coach: I knew they were talented when we introduced them
to recreational sport to keep
their minds busy and active but
as a coach and a former athlete, I could tell by watching the
children running here and there,
that some could become very
good in athletics.

Bingwa: How do you decide
which events to participate in
and how do you prepare the
children?
Coach: As a former athlete I am
able to know which events the
young athletes can excel in and
once the decision to compete
is made, begin training their
minds to focus on the specific
distance.
Bingwa: Do you keep a stringent training routine?
Coach: We train in the evening
after class (4.00 pm – 6.00 pm)
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
and mornings on Saturdays in
order not to disrupt their morning class. Our goal is make
training as enjoyable as possible.
Bingwa: What races have the
seven competed in so far?
Coach: The troop has competed in the Nairobi Marathon, and
maintained the top 3 positions
for both boys and girls. Francis
Kimando and Mercy Akiru have
for the last 2 years, maintained
position 2. They have also particiapated in KEMU in Meru, Miiri
at Karatina, Ndakaini, Thika,
and the District X-country as
well as the Inter-schools championships.
Bingwa: How has this benefitted them?
Coach: They were sponsored
by Michelle Hamiliton (U.S.A)
to Eldoret, to witness the home
coming of world champion
Abel Kirui and Emanuel Mutai
in 2009 and also to meet other
elite runners. Moses Tanui was
our host.
Bingwa: Any plans to introduce the young runners to
the national/ international
arena?

Coach: Yes am trying to have
one or two boys and girls
competing in the youth or junior
team to represent Kenyan at
these championships. On the
international level, I encourage
them to consider athletics as a
career. I always remind them
that to excel, they must maintain
high discipline, train hard be
patient because all good things
take time
Bingwa: What challenges
do you face as you hone the
skills of these young and
gifted athletes?

Coach: We face intimidation,
lack of training gear and a shallow understanding of the sport.
When a race comes up but we
have no money to register them
or for transport; all these lower
their morale.
Bingwa: What is your motivation?
Coach: As a trainer there are
many ups and downs, but in
one way or another they are
also a motivation because they
help me better understand how I
can help these kids accomplish
their goals.

Lessons that other kids should learn from these champions
is that:
☺☺ Hard work and high discipline pays.
☺☺ Good time management yields best results
☺☺ Athletics keeps one busy and also in very good physical and
mental health
☺☺ Physical strength, sharp mind and stability are the foundations
in academic excellence.
☺☺ Athletics is a high yield professional. Examples of wealthy
Kenyan athletes abound.
The coach’s parting shot:
Being featured in BINGWA is a golden chance for these kids who
sometimes feel forgotten and I hope and trust that when the time
comes for them to read and see your magazine, it will motivate
them a lot to soldier on and put more effort in both their academic
and sporting careers.

The magazine for the children of Africa

33

Your Money

How to fill 4 jars
with money
By Wangui Wachira

S

aving money is not
something that comes
easily to many people,
even adults. It requires
patience, determination and
persistence but unfortunately,
not many people give it the
attention it requires.
WHAT SAVING IS ABOUT
Saving simply means
regularly keeping some
money aside for later use.
Examples of these later
uses are emergencies, education,
retirement, investment, to buy things
you want and many more.
LESSONS YOU LEARN BY SAVING
Proper handling of money and living
within your means:
If you received one million shillings
today, how would you handle it? Would
you be broke and in debt in one
month?
GETTING STARTED:
♣♣ An easy way to begin saving is by
taking four jars, piggy banks or
any other container. Give each one
of the jars labels as: Save, Invest,
Give, and Spend. Each of these
labels lets you know what each jar
is for.
♣♣ After this, write down all the goals
you want to achieve with your
money. Divide them into short,
medium and longterm goals. It

34

The magazine for the children of Africa

could be a list that looks
something like this:
Buy two new books,
buy shares, go to the
movies, buy dad a
birthday present, give
to the Red Cross,
and so on.
♣♣
Decide how
much you will be
putting in the jars
every day, week
or month. You can
decide to put in more
money in one jar than
the others depending on your
goals, but you must put something
in all of them.
♣♣ Do not wait to have a lot of money
to start using the jars. Begin with
whatever you currently have.
♣♣ Keep a money diary. This is a
book you use to write down every
single shilling you spend, what
you spend it on (even if you have
bought a chewing gum worth a
shilling) and why. This practice
helps you easily keep track of
your money and lets you know if
you are properly managing it by
saving more and spending less.
♣♣ Open a savings account if you have
not yet done so. Ask your parents,
an aunt or elder cousin or an older
and trusted friend to take you to
the bank, explain the process and
help you begin depositing your

money into your savings account.
The advantage of a savings
account is that your money earns
interest. Also, you can safely
put away your long-term savings
money.
A good habit is
like money in the
bank; they both
get better with
time

Smart Moves
1. Every time you receive money,
no matter how little it is, always
put some into your savings jar
first. You can ask your parents
to keep your savings jar so that
you are not tempted to take
money out of it.
2. Put pictures of your goals next
to your jars or somewhere you
can see them daily. They will
help you stay motivated.
3. Do not be too hard on yourself
if you fail a few times. It is all
part of the learning process and
with time, it will become easier
to do. The key is consistency(
doing as regularly as possible.

Anette raises Uganda’s flag high after her win
Meet 19 year old Annette Negesa, the current African champion in 800 meters. She achieved
this feat at the just concluded All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique where she won the
prestigious Gold medal. Bingwa caught up with her for a chat.
By James Rawlings Lwande
How long have you been doing Athletics?
I started running eleven years ago when I was
in P.3 but took up running professionally just two
years ago.
What have you achieved so far since you started
running?
Wow…..I have achieved quite a lot in such a

36

The magazine for the children of Africa

short time and I give all the glory to God. Last
year (2010), I helped the Uganda cross country
team win Bronze at the World Cross Country
Championships (junior category) in Polland and
also won a Bronze medal in 800 meters at the
2010 World Junior Athletics Championships.
However, 2011 has been the breakthrough year
for me. I started off by winning Gold in both the
800 and 1500 meters at the Africa Junior Athletics
Championships in Botswana, I then rounded it

off with the big one by conquering the continent
by winning Gold at the just concluded All Africa
Games in Maputo, Mozambique. This was a
senior race by the way, so I am the overall African
queen.
What do you love about Athletics?
Athletics keeps me fit, keeps me out of trouble and
it’s a natural talent so I always thank God for that.
In addition, it’s also my current career so I have to
love it if I want to succeed at it.
What would you say are the benefits of Athletics?
Athletics has tremendously kept me healthy, I
rarely fall sick because of the time I put in during
training. I’ve also been able to get exposure
from the many countries I visit, I use to dream of
boarding a plane but Athletics turned that dream
into reality for me. I’m also able to support and
care for my family from the little money I earn, so I
thank God for my talent.
What is your most memorable moment in
Athletics?

It definitely is when I won Gold at the All African
Games in Maputo, remember this was a senior
race. So I had to step up and win the Gold for
my country, I was very happy when my national
anthem was being played and the Uganda flag
being hoisted up higher than the rest. Nothing can
beat that.
Which other Athletes do you admire?
I admire Pamela Jelimo of Kenya a lot, I always
pray to my Lord that I achieve as much as she has
achieved and even do better.
What are your other interests/hobbies?
When I’m not busy with my Athletics schedule, I
enjoy playing hockey, basketball and also used to
play football when I was in high school.
What advice would you give BINGWA readers?
The first and most important advice to Bingwa
readers is that they should be disciplined because
success starts with discipline. They should also
endeavor to be honest, hardworking, respective to
elders and God fearing.

The magazine for the children of Africa

37

one morning, moses
and gloria are
enjoying a ride
through the
heighbourhood, when...
yes.
my father bought
it for me, but i
can’t ride. when i
tried i fell into
these bushes and
i think i hurt my
foot.

hey! brian!
is that you?
you have a
new bicycle!

wow!
it looks cool!
can i borrow
it for a few
minutes?

i will not
give it to you!
if i can’t ride it.
no one will
ride it! and
besides, i don’t
like you!

brian,
i really need
your bicycle now!
i will teach you
how to ride, i
promise!

did you see
that? that man
just snatched
the woman’s
bag!

alright,
take it...

let’s get
him, gloria!

brian, call
te police!

okay!

38

The magazine for the children of Africa

i have a plan...
i will throw this
rope at you. i need
you to catch the
other end!

the police can’t
catch me with their
big motorcycles, and
these children think
they can catch me
with their little
bicycles!

look at
these little
children!

alright!

aim for
his legs!

hahaha!

hey! wait!
no! don’t do
that! don’t...

we got
him!

hahaha!

thank you
so much,
children!

let’s go!
you are headed
for prison, big
man!

oh, this is a
bad day! i should
have stayed in
bed!

are you
ready to learn
to ride, brian?
yes! and i’m
really sorry
for being mean
to you earlier.

the end.

The magazine for the children of Africa

39

t
n
e
n
i
t
Con

MADAGASCAR
M

adagascar is an
island off Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
southeast coast.
It is the fourth largest island
in the world. It has a surface
area of 226,444 square miles.
It is in the Indian Ocean and is
separated from Africa by the
500mile wide Mozambique
Channel.
The highest point on the

island is the ridge of Androna,
which is a volcano rising 9,439
feet. There are also three
main river basins. The coastline
is straight and has sand dunes
and mangrove swamps on the
southeastern side and estuaries
and bays on the northwestern
side.
The hot, wet season lasts
from November to April, and

the cooler, drier season, May to
October. The east coast is on
the windward side of the island
and receives 146 inches of rain
a year. The other side of the
island only receives 92 inches
annually. July is the coolest
month, having temperatures
between 54 and 77 degrees.
December is the hottest month
with temperatures between 68
and 82 degrees. Madagascar is
sometimes hit by cyclones and
flooding can be serious.
Historical Background
The prehistoric breakup of the
Gondwana supercontinent
separated the MadagascarAntarctica-India landmass
from the Africa-South America
landmass around 135 million
years ago. Madagascar later
split from India around 88
million years ago, allowing
plants and animals on the island
to evolve in complete isolation.
Consequently, Madagascar is
a biodiversity hotspot in which
over 80% of its plant and animal

40

The magazine for the children of Africa

species are found nowhere else
on Earth.
Researchers believe
Madagascar was first inhabited
sometime between 300 BCE
and 500 CE by Austronesian
peoples arriving on outrigger
canoes from Borneo in the
Indonesian archipelago who
were later joined around 1000
CE by Bantu migrants crossing
the Mozambique Channel
and establishing first on the
north and west coasts. Arabs,
East African, later Malay and
Javanese, Indians, Chinese
and European (primarily
French) migrants settled on
Madagascar over time, each
one making lasting contributions
to Malagasy cultural life.
Bantu influences are evident especially in the West coast and
in the South - in the spiritual and
monetary value placed on the
zebu cattle.

and ruled as the Kingdom of
Madagascar by a series of
nobles (andriana) of the Merina
ethnic group. The monarchy
collapsed when the island was
conquered and absorbed into
the French colonial empire
in 1896. The island gained
independence in 1960.
The autonomous state of
Madagascar has undergone
four major constitutional
periods, including a postcolonial First Republic under
President Philibert Tsiranana
(1960–1972), a Soviet-style
socialist Second Republic
under Admiral Didier Ratsiraka
(1975–1991), and a democratic
Third Republic under
successive presidents Albert
Zafy, Didier Ratsiraka and Marc
Ravalomanana (1992–2009).

Language & Religion
Malagasy language is spoken
in various forms by the vast
majority of the population, is the
national language and one of
two current official languages
alongside French and English.
The majority of the population
adheres to traditional beliefs
or Christianity, but followers of
other faiths such as Islam and
Hinduism are found in smaller
numbers throughout the country.

The Uprising
A revolution in 2009 instigated
by then-mayor of Antananarivo
and TGV political party
president Andry Rajoelina
Rajoelina forced Marc
Ravalomanana to resign and a
2010 constitutional referendum
ushered in the Fourth Republic
in which the nation continues
to be managed by Rajoelina’s
unelected caretaker government
known as the High Transitional
Authority (HAT). Rajoelina,
born in 1974, is currently the
youngest head of state in Africa.

Governance & Current Affairs
Beginning 9th Century most
of the country was united

Below, workers in the rice fields of
Madagascar. The country is largest
rice consumer in the world

10 Facts about Madagascar
1. Madagascar is the
fourth largest island
in the world, covering
587,04km2, with a
population of 2.9 million
people.
2. Gained independence
from France in June 960.
3. Madagascar is a
biodiversity hotspot.
80% of its plant and
animal species are found
nowhere else on earth.
4. The Malagasy ethnic
group is sub-divided into
more than sixteen subgroups.
5. The Malagasy people
are the largest rice
consumers in the world.
Their special rice cuisine
is found nowhere else in
the world.
6. Malagasy language is
spoken in various forms
by the vast majority. It is
the national language.
7. President Andry Rajoelina,
37, is youngest head of
state in Africa.
8. Madagascar is a member
of SADC (South African
Development Community).
9. Majority 85 percent live
in poverty.
10. Madagascar is a national
heritage site.

The magazine for the children of Africa

41

Career Choices

AN ACTUARIAL

SCIENTIST
By Sue Ellen Mwendwa

D

o you love playing with
numbers? Does the
sight of a Mathematics
lesson on your timetable make
you smile? Have you ever
wondered what the plastic
card your parents produce
when they visit the hospital
is about? Or probably you
have seen advertisements
on television urging people
to insure a business against
fire or a car. Well, this is the
work of an actuary and it starts
with a love for Mathematics
and outstanding ability in the
subject.
Actuarial science is the
science of assessing the risk of
events occurring and creating
insurance policies that mitigate
those risks for customers. An
insurance policy is a contract
between the customer (policy
holder) and an insurance
company, describing how
much the customer will be

paying (premiums) so that
in case of a calamity, the
insurance company caters for
the damage.
The work of an actuary
therefore becomes creating
policies for customers based
on their income, what they are
insuring and the likelihood of the
insured product e.g. a car being
damaged. For example, if your
parents have a health cover,
they pay a certain amount to
the insurance company each
month. When you are sick and

A professional in this
field is called an actuary.
They apply mathematical
and statistical methods
to assess risk in the
insurance and finance
industries and create
policies to mitigate the
effects of the risks.

visit the hospital, the insurance
company pays off the medical
bill.
I chose to pursue a degree in
actuarial science since I love
Mathematics and excelled in the
subject.
It challenges the mind and
has the power to solve real life
problems. Consequently, it is
integrated in every day work.
If you are a business man
you need to count your profit,
a farmer needs to know the
probability of a certain crop
flourishing in his village, doctors
and nurses use math when they
write prescriptions or administer
medication (e.g.1x3), even
Jesus used Mathematic
when he had to multiply
the two fish and five
loves to feed five
thousand men.
An outstanding
ability in Mathematics
is also required
especially in
probability and
statistics. The
other units
we learn
are: basic
mathematics,
calculus,
programming,
actuarial
mathematics,
principles of
economics,
life
Contingencies
and real life
projects.
Having so
much to cover
in four years,
it demands
a high level
of discipline

and many hours of study just
like in medicine. Although
Mathematics is the core of the
course we have a few lessons
on communication skills and

To qualify for a degree in
actuarial science, regular
program you must have
a Plain A* in K.C.S.E; the
science has the highest
cluster points, higher than
Medicine.
philosophy.
Some of the universities that
offer the degree include: The
University of Nairobi, Jomo
Kenyatta University
of Agriculture and
Technology (JKUAT),
Strathmore University
and Maseno
University. The
undergraduate degree
takes four years
and one is
required to
sit some
international
professional
papers to
qualify as
an actuary.
These

examinations are very rigorous.
To excel one has to do a lot
of research and have a wide
knowledge of the subject. Being
a first year student, I have not
had any internship but from my
seniors who have been interns,
I know getting internships is not
very difficult especially if you
are an active member of the
actuarial society in your school.
It is an opportunity to network
and be mentored by actuaries in
various insurance companies.
So, there is a pool of
opportunity if your numerical
skills are strong. Being an
actuary has been ranked as the
best job with a good working
environment and salary. In
addition, you could start your

There is a great demand
for actuaries in Kenya
considering that the
country has less than
fifteen. As an actuary you
can work in insurance
companies, investment
companies, consultancies
banking and other financial
sectors.
own actuarial consultancy firm.
This would be fun if you love
travelling since you will be
invited to different cities and
even countries to share your
expertise. Actuarial science is
exciting, rigorous and applicable
in real life. Sue Ellen is an
Equity Foundation Scholar.

EMBRACING KENYA’S
NATIONAL VALUES
AND PRINCIPLES OF
GOVERNANCE
To play our role as Kenyans, each individual
must be committed to a set of values and
make these part of every day life.

The Brand Kenya Board – a state corporation set up by the government to
help build and enhance the country’s image is running a campaign dubbed
“Nitakuwepo”.
The idea is to get Kenyans to appreciate themselves, their work, and their
role in building the country.
This will help us develop greater pride, patriotism and togetherness in the
things we do as individuals or collectively as a people
NITAKUWEPO is a calling for each of us to stand up and proclaim the
truth that Kenya is you and I – that we will stand up and make ourselves
count.
•
Stand up and be proud of our work
•
Stand up and see what a great country this is
•
Stand up and be the solution
•
Stand up and be your brother’s keeper
Even as you go to school, you should be happy to know that your
education is an asset – just like a rich garden full of fruits.

These values are:
1. JUSTICE: It is the principle of moral
uprightness and what ensures that each
receives the reward or the punishment
that he/she deserves
2. UNITY: Is to work as one and in
agreement for a harmonious coexistence
3. PATRIOTISM: Is love, loyalty and
devotion shown to Kenya, supporting
the nation while addressing challenges
that face the country
4. INTEGRITY: The strength and firmness
of character, a sense of honesty and
truthfulness in regard to the motivations
for one’s actions
5. Sharing and devolution of power
6. The rule of law
7. Democracy
8. Participation of the people
9. Human dignity
10. Equity
11. Inclusiveness
12. Equality
13. Human rights
14. Non-discrimination and protection of
the marginalised
15. Good governance
16. Transparency and accountability
17. Sustainable development
These are in line with the New Constitution

This country is your motherland and has a lot of opportunities
for you as you grow up. But you should play your role in
making it better.
Je, utakuwepo?
Brand Kenya
Board

C O M P E T I T I O N
“Let all with one accord,
In common bond united
Build this our nation together,
And the glory of Kenya
The fruit of our labour,
Fill every heart with thanksgiving”.
Are you a patriotic Kenyan? Are you familiar with the above stanza taken from our national anthem?
What does it mean to you?
A patriot is person “who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against
enemies or detractors, someone who feels a strong support for his or her country”
How best can one demonstrate patriotism?
We can show our patriotism by showing respect for our flag, knowing by heart and reciting our
national anthem; being responsible citizens who obey the laws of our country and by showing
support to our soldiers who are protecting our country.
Brand Kenya Board is inviting you to submit a drawing in colour with a short story explaining how
best you can be there for your country. Use your drawing to demonstrate your understanding of
patriotism to win exciting prizes. The winning drawing will be next issue’s pull out poster that will
be put up in schools all over the country.

PLEASE NOTE
1. Your drawing should reach Bingwa by April 30, 2012.
2. Do not forget to include your full name, age, class and address (postal/email) and a phone number to reach you by at
the back of your drawing.
3. To win, your drawing must be original, very creative and colorful. It must also be neat and must reach us on or before
April 30th 2012.
4. The competition is open to primary school pupils in class 4-8
5. The winning entry will be published in the next issue of Bingwa Magazine.

hen we come together, there is something we can do even when the
problem seems too big for us. Each one of us can do something
no matter how small it is to save our forests and together we will
have done something big. So let each one of us be ready and devoted in our
communities and wherever we are to try and save our forests by planting more
and more trees. By doing this, we will have forgotten the past ad taken care of
the present and saved the future.
When we plant trees, it not only makes us happy but it also helps us to make
a conducive environment for the future generation. When we see any place, which
is bare and has no trees, we should not think about how bad it is or looks. We
should think about what we can do to make it a better place for our own good;
for the good of the environment and for the good of the future generation. Let
us not run away from our problems and challenges but we should face them with
much honesty and courage.

A Poem For Wangari
Oh Professor Wangari Muta Maathai,
A fallen hero never to forget;
An African woman of strength;
A woman of humanity and positivity;
A woman of dignity and integrity;
I salute her extremely high for her courage.
She endured great pain in her relentless effort for
Kenya to be green;
In my soul she has left a mark; not only to be
written with ink,
But with the tears of her heroic deeds;
I will follow her path until the skies go green, no
matter the giants on the way

studied in St Joseph Gategi
Girls Secondary School in
Mbeere South District and
did my KCSE IN 2010, scoring
A (minus) and was the best
student in the Disrict that year.
That’s why I joined the Equity
Bank sponsorship Programme.
I am currently working
as a cashier at Equity bank
Mwea Branch to gain useful
work experience before I join
The University of Nairobi for
a Bachelor of Economics in
2012. I am learning a lot, more
especially, good communication
skills as I serve the bank’s
clients and I now know how to
behave like a professional.
Half of the salary Equity
bank pays me will cater for my
campus fees. My experience
here has been awesome. But
you should know, I have not
always been a high achiever.
When I sat KCPE I scored a C
(minus). When I took the results
home, my father threatened
to take me to a day school
because it seemed I went to
school to play so I worked
really hard over the holiday
and improved from a C to a
C+ through form 1. In form 2 I
made friends with a classmate
who did better than me in class
and we spent time together

learning how to study
and revise. She was
among the top ten
students in our class.
I will never forget is
what made me join
the top ten students
in my class. I know
it sounds silly but it
really worked for me.
It was some biscuits
that my friend was
given during the 2nd
term closing day
as present among
other things. It was a carton of
biscuits. She shared this with
me and I believe this is where I
got the power and determination
to work harder. I saw her go
around greeting all teachers

Looking back home where
I came from I realized
that this teacher was right
because i had no role
model. Young girls got
pregnant and got married
and young boys dropped
out of school to do odd
jobs. I desperately wanted
to be a role model. I
wanted to be the first girl to
ever go into a university in
my community
during prize giving day and I
wanted one day to do the same.
The following term I was a
top ten student and hence forth,
made good grades.
We used to have joint mocks
with about ten schools in the
district and whenever the results
came I would be the best in my
school but nowhere to be found
near the top compared to other
schools but this encouraged
me to keep working hard.

One Principal gave a speech
once and said, “if you are not
excelling academically, you are
like the stones in the school
compound; useless to the
school and the community” He
was speaking to students in
my school because we were
the least performing in three
consecutive mocks.
Looking back home where
I came from I realized that this
teacher was right because i
had no role model; Young girls
got pregnant and got married
and young boys dropped out
of school to do odd jobs. I
desperately wanted to be a role
model. I wanted to be the first
girl to ever go into a university
in my community. I am living
my dream thanks to Equity
foundation.
If you desire to excel, believe
in you, have a positive attitude
towards everything you do and
listen to what older and wiser
people to tell you. And, most
importantly always tell God what
you want to achieve. I sat for
my exams with all these in mind
and when the results came, I
was the best in the district.
Joyce Wanjohi is a lucky
beneficiary of the Equity
Foundation Sponsorship
under which dozens of bright
students who score highly
in their KCSE exams are
sponsored through university
and enjoy a high degree of
mentorship by professionals
and also gain much needed
work experience at the bank.
Joyce shared her story with
BINGWA.

The magazine for the children of Africa

47

Creative Writing

A LITTLE BOY IN THE FOREST
Tips For Succesful
Creative Writing

Written by Neo Kinya

O

nce upon a tme there
was a boy who lived far,
faraway in the forest.
One day he was sent to the
woods for firewood.
Now on the way deep into
the forest he tripped on a stone
and fell down. He tumbled down
a cliff and rolled to the bottom.
He fell unconscious and was
lost for days.
The next morning he woke up
and found himself on the floor of
the cliff and he was horrified and
started running the wrong way.
Suddenly he heard a strange
voice and he stopped running
and turned towards the voice,
curious to see what was
happening on the other side.
Then he saw the hunters armed
with spears and other weapons
and he was too scared to run

away so his knees gave way
and he fell with a loud thud.
The hunters took him, held
him upside down and carried
him away and put him in a cage.
They wanted to take him to
their king to decide what to do
with him because he was from
a different tribe and was much
bigger than the hunters and their
king who was from the dwarf
like people. He had never seen
such people.
The boy’s name was Nelson
but no one but him knew that
because the hunters could not
understand his language and
he also could not understand
their language, they kept him
as a prisoner for many years
until the day when the king died
and all prisoners were set free.
Nelson returned home to much
jubilation.

√√ Allow your imagination to
run away with you. Using
your mind’s eye you can
see vividly the images
that you want your reader
to see and even hear the
dialogue you wish for the
reader to hear.
√√ But to hear these things,
you will need to be in an
extremely quiet place
like say the school library
or your bedroom. It is
advisable that you attempt
to write a few lines when
you wake up because
then, your mind is fresh
and there isn’t much
activity happening around
you yet.
√√ Do not attempt to refine
your work yet. Just let the
story flow as it comes.
This is a reflection of your
thoughts on paper.
√√ When your imagination is
so vivid that you can see
the images as you write,
make short notes on the
side of the page describing
what you see; these notes
will come in very handy
when briefing the illustrator
(the artist who draws the
pictures to go with your
story.
We will continue this
discussion next time.
Meantime, you are invited to
send your questions about this
topic to the editor@bingwa.org. Till
then, keep writing until a book
or a short story or a movie
script comes out.
All the best,
Editor

48

The magazine for the children of Africa

1

2

3

5

4

1. Julie Solberg, (MD-Child Africa) poses infront

of the CA Xplode Rally Team car. The event took
place in November, in Kampala
2. CA Kabale pupils smile for Bingwa
3. Kampala Parents School invited Bingwa to the
swearing in of a new student cabinet in October.
Here the new head girl swears in
4. Child Africa Junior School, Kabale pupils with
their teachers when they visited CA offices in
Kampala
5. Kampala Parents School new students cabinet
hoist their bibles after being sworn in
6. The CA Xplode Rally Team with young Motocross
riders
7. Pupils with Child Africa Founder, Julie(middle) &
staff